Suspects are being given a chance to get other crimes "off their chest" in a move to help victims.

Suspects are being given a chance to get other crimes "off their chest" in a move to help victims.

The Clean Slate initiative gives criminals in the Northumbria Police area the opportunity to reveal all their crimes and have all offences dealt with at once.

No other force in the country is using the process on such a wide scale.

Assistant Chief Constable David Warcup said: "People can clean the slate for the future if they are prepared to be honest about other crimes they have committed.

"The advances in technology mean that once we have DNA and fingerprints from the offender, they may be linked with other crimes which have yielded forensic evidence.

"The scheme benefits everyone - the victim, the offender and the criminal justice system because it ensures that someone is dealt with for the offence and that court and police time is not wasted by further investigations and proceedings."

Clean Slate was tried in the Gateshead East command area where police recorded early success, including:

* A man arrested for burglary of a school admitted the offence and agreed he wanted a fresh start as he was about to begin a college course.

He went on to admit a similar burglary and six offences of theft from vehicles. He is charged and on bail.

* A persistent offender who was arrested for a house burglary went on to admit five more burglaries and one offence of taking a vehicle. He is charged and held in custody. Both are awaiting court proceedings.

Suspects have always had the right to ask for other offences to be taken into consideration by the courts, but may have kept quiet because they thought they would not be found out.

Under the new policy, all suspects will be given written details of how they can clean the slate. This will be done in the presence of their solicitor or parent or guardian if the suspect is a juvenile.

Posters encouraging suspects to take up the offer will also be on display in custody suites throughout the force area.

The scheme is supported by the Crown Prosecution Service and will be used forcewide.

Liz Jarvis, of Newcastle East's Victim Support group, welcomed the scheme, but said victims must be informed of developments.

"It could reawaken feelings in a victim, which they would not have experienced for quite a long time," she said.

"So perhaps victims will need more support if something is belatedly uncovered by the Clean Slate initiative."